John Deere Lawn Mower Gas Tank Removal: Easy Steps to Follow

Are you having trouble with your mower’s gas tank? We understand your concern. We’ve prepared a guide to help you quickly remove it. Follow our steps for a smooth and successful process.

How do you remove a gas tank on a John Deere lawnmower step by step?

Remove the gas tank on a John Deere mower, drain it, and disconnect it. Remove the fuel cap and lines, and cover the lines to prevent debris. Loosen mounting bolts with a wrench to remove the empty tank. Inspect for cracks/rust—Reattach fuel lines before refueling the fixed tank.

Say goodbye to professional repair costs! Our detailed guide empowers you to handle your mower’s gas tank issues yourself. With our easy-to-follow steps, you’ll have your mower back in action in no time. Start your DIY journey today!

General Troubleshooting Guide: 

For your lawnmower’s lawnmower to work smoothly, follow these steps to remove the gas tank yourself without calling in a professional. Make sure you keep yourself protected at all times with a pair of safety gloves.

● Step 1. Drain the tank and remove the spark plug.

Your John Deere lawnmower may be gas-operated or fuel-operated. Riding lawnmowers are mostly more robust and require liquid fuel like petrol. As a first step, you have to drain the gas tank.

You can do it in two ways. Start the mower and let it run until it depletes the tank, or drain the liquid fuel with a siphon pump. For gas fuel, use an empty cylinder and a one-way nozzle. While your lawnmower is running to empty the tank, you should gather the following tools:

• Fuel line clamps to hold the flow of fuel.
• An adjustable wrench to remove the fasteners.
• A siphon pump or empty gas container to drain the gas from the mower.
• A pair of safety gloves.

Next, disconnect the spark plug present on the side of the engine under the hood. Do this step as a precautionary measure. Turn the ignition off and apply the parking brakes.

● Step 2. Remove the fuel cap and check for any debris.

Remove the hood of your John Deere mower if the gas tank lies under it. Generally, the inlet has an outside approach, so you can easily access the cap from there. While removing the fuel cap, checking the error source (the air vents, cap casing, and any leakages or rust) is always advisable.

So, initially, constrain the cap in place by the fuel line clamp and check if the air vents are free from dirt. Next, remove it simply if you have a liquid fuel. For gas fuel, you will have to be careful. It is better to do the task in a well-aerated environment, preferably in your yard.

As a precaution, keep all flammable and ignition sources at a distance. You can quickly drain the remaining fuel by approaching from the cap hole—empty the tank.

● Step 3. Remove the connections to the gas tank.

The next step is removing the gas tank, usually mounted on the engine body. It is under the hood or the seat of a Deere mower (in the case of a riding John Deere lawnmower). As the fuel flow requires, it lies close and at a height to the main engine.

The first step is ensuring your mower is placed on flat ground, such as a driveway. If possible, park it on a floor dealing with some gas spillage. Engage the parking brakes if it’s a riding John Deere lawnmower. Now, obliterate the mower hood to access the whole tank body.

– Understanding the Connections of the Gas Tank

Next, you need to remove the connections that emerge from the tank. Typically, these tanks have one inlet (guarded by a fuel cap) and one outlet which supplies fuel to the combustion chamber. John and Deere’s lawnmowers have only one fuel line to carry the fuel to the carburetor.

The exit line has a hose attached with fasteners or an adjustable tightening ring. Remove these fasteners to free the gas tank of any connections.

You might have to remove a few seals and washers in doing so. Keep them safe with you to use in the future. Now that the mower is free from any connections, removing it is following.

● Step 4. Cover the flow lines and remove any left-out fuel.

Before getting on with the John Deere tank, always cover the fuel connections, especially the carburetor. Cover the flow line with plastic wrap to remain free from debris. Use a rubber band for tight support.

Also, some reservoir fuel may already be present in the lines. Please remove it now to avoid any future issues. Either suck the fuel out by a siphon pump or remove the tubes to drain the fuel into a pan.

● Step 5. Remove the empty gas tank.

The John Deere gas tank usually has at least two mounting bolts on its base to connect it to the rest of the main body. With the help of an adjustable wrench, you can easily loosen them by giving regular anti-clockwise twists.

With this, you will have your empty gas tank in your hands. Check again that all connections are covered. Keep them protected until you fix the same or a new gas tank.

Now that you have the removed gas tank, you can inspect the insides using a flashlight for any cracks or rust. Make sure that you don’t drop the tank in any case. The following link can be used to see how to remove a gas tank on a John Deere lawnmower.

– Additional Tips:  

1. Attach the fuel line: Always remember to attach the fuel line to the John Deere tank and carburetor before fueling the fixed tank. You can also give an air thrust by an air pump to clean the lines.
2. Inspect the spark plugs: It is also recommended to inspect your spark plug after installing a new tank as a general routine troubleshooting step.
3. Fuel stabilizer: Add John Deere to new and fresh fuel before using it in your engine to give the new or fixed tank a kick-start free from stale or lousy fuel.
4. Safety gloves: Always protect your hands with a pair of safety gloves and keep a piece of cloth nearby to catch any dripping fuel.

Frequently asked questions:

1. Should I leave gas in my lawnmower over the winter?

You should avoid doing this because unused gas left in a lawnmower over the winter can deteriorate, gumming up the carburetor and inviting rust.

It would be best if you drained your tank before storing it; otherwise, it gives crucial damage to your gas tank and carburetor, leading to its replacement, which is costly.

2. How do you open fastening bolts that are rusted or locked?

The lawnmower is always working in harsh environments. The exposure to moisture may cause the nut bolts to corrode and get locked in their position. If you are not careful with them, you might even break them. Here are a few solutions that you can try:

• Metal Plate: Try welding the locked nut bolt head to a metal plate. This elongates the moment arm, making it easier to twist it open.
• File: You can use a metal file or ruler to create a cross with a cross with two perpendicular grooves on the bolt head. You can use a long screwdriver, which makes it easier to turn.
• Cleaner spray: Sometimes, the problem can be solved as quickly as throwing in some cleaner spray and letting it rest for a while.

3. What happens if air gets in your gas tank?

It will cause severe damage to your gas tank as air bubbles in a fuel line can delay the start, hiccupping may occur, or it may refuse to start. Make sure that your fuel lines are air-free. It will help keep your lawn mower running smoothly, and no stalling or running rough issues occur.

Remarks

A John Deere gas tank ensures the fuel stays clean and prevents it from degrading. Like all other lawnmower components, a gas tank may sometimes require repairing or cleaning. Therefore, removing it becomes a need.

Although removing it might seem like a hassle if you haven’t removed it before, it is a relatively simple procedure but requires some small preventive measures to keep the rest of the components free from dirt.

• Disconnecting the Battery Cables

The first step is to remove the battery by disconnecting the battery cables. This is followed by removing the battery tray. The battery tray – held on by a few screws, is located at the front of the tray. Once the tray is removed, you can access the battery brace on the tray.

Remove the battery brace to free up space for the gas tank removal. If you’re dealing with an old gas tank, you might want to buy a tank kit for replacement. You can smooth it by following the steps above and seeing the reference videos.